Tokyo’s 2020 Olympic Ambassadors

Tokyo will host the 2020 Olympics, and if what we’ve seen so far is any indication, it should be an entertaining time for fans of anime, manga, and video games. Not only did Mario show up in the closing ceremony for the 2016 Olympics, but now several manga and anime characters have been named as Olympic ambassadors.

Now, the term “ambassador” makes this sound a little stranger than it is. These ambassadors are essentially mascots for the Olympic Games, meant to represent the country’s culture and help market the Olympics to a younger audience. They’ll be featured on official merchandise, including shirts, hats, bags, and more.

If your favorite anime isn’t represented, don’t lose faith just yet. With the 2020 Olympics still three years away, there’s plenty of time for more characters to be added. It is largely believed that Mario will also be an ambassador.

This certainly sounds like a fun Olympics for anime fans! I am looking forward to getting my hands on the official Olympics merchandise featuring these characters.